Altun Ha, the ruins of an ancient Maya city in Belize, lies approximately 50 kilometers north of Belize City and about 10 kilometers west of the Caribbean Sea. Covering an area of about 8 square kilometers, Altun Ha remained unknown to archaeologists until 1963, despite the reuse of its stones in the nearby village of Rockstone Pond for modern residential construction. Accessible via the Old Northern Highway, Altun Ha features notable structures like the 16-meter-high “Temple of the Masonry Altars,” depicted in the logo of Belize’s popular beer brand, “Belikin.” Its name, meaning “Rockstone Water” in Yucatec Mayan, reflects its proximity to Rockstone Pond. Altun Ha’s ancient occupation, from about 900 B.C. to A.D. 1000, reveals its significance during the Classic Period from A.D. 400 to A.D. 900, when it reached its peak. Despite its swampy pre-Columbian environment, Altun Ha relied on limited water sources such as Gordon Pond and Camp Aguada for sustenance.

Archaeological findings at Cahal Pech include the earliest pottery in Western Belize, indicating ceramic-using populations as early as 1200 BCE. The site’s name, meaning “Place of the Ticks” in Yucatec Maya, was given during the 1950s when the area was used for pasture.